Date Night | Take me out to the ball game…

…the Padre Game that is, and Basic Bar for dinner!

Last Friday, Date Night was awesome! Daddy and I experienced our first Padres game together at Petco Park. The Padres v. the Diamondbacks! Padres win 4-3!

For those of you who know me, I played softball in 5th grade. It didn’t last long, but I have always loved playing ball! I told Daddy, I wanted to watch a Padre game, and the next week were walking over the bridge from the Hilton Bayfront to Petco Park. We originally wanted to sit in the park, only $5, but by the time we got there, it was already packed. Plus they were hosting a beer fest for their Friday event. Even though we didn’t get to sit in the park, we still got a good view from the top, and tickets were only $13.50 each. We walked to our seats, not sure what to expect, but one thing we were amazed at was how clean and classy this stadium was. It almost made me believe that the Chargers should get a new stadium, but that’s a topic for another day. Everywhere you look, beautiful views of San Diego. And, no matter where you were in the stands, you got a a good look of the beautiful field.

Let’s face it, baseball is fun to play! However, you have to have some ounce of patience it you want to watch. Marketing, or whoever was in charge of the entertainment that evening did a great job of entertaining the crowd. Our favorite was the Grounds Crew Dancer. We got a good laugh out of one of the Grounds Keepers bustin’ a move to the tootsie roll out in right field. It was hilarious and probably the highlight of the evening. Another thing that was cool, was that every time the Padres struck someone out, $50 was donated towards breast cancer awareness, part of the Stand Up 2 Cancer campaign. Daddy and I had fun trying to figure out the plays, how to read the score board and talking about the tiny players below. Experiencing something new together is always refreshing! We participated in the cheering and booing, but left at the top of the 6th inning because it was way too cold.

We decided to walk on over to Basic Bar for pizza, salad and {root} beer! I recently recommended this joint in an article I wrote, Guide to San Diego for Couples, about the best Date Night spots in San Diego, so you can bet this made it even more crucial for us to try – together. It was a little awkward because they were checking ID’s at the door. I had been to Basic before with friends, but Daddy hadn’t. I was a little embarrassed that it seemed like we were entering a club, but nonetheless, we enjoyed ourselves. If you know Daddy’s not the clubbin’ type, but I am, haha! It was a tad bit too loud for conversation, but the food was awesome, which is why I wanted to go there. I expected greatness, and so did Daddy since I was raving about it, and we got it! It was a little crowded, but we were seated right away. It took a while for our food to come but when it did we scarfed it down and it was definitely worth the wait.

Here’s what we ordered…

Root Beer. Perfect and smooth, not too sweet. Reminded me of BJ’s root beer special brew.
Basic Salad. Truly a delicious blend of sweet and salty. Pears, mixed greens, candied walnuts, Gorgonzola cheese covered in a light vinaigrette. I must add, they were not shady with the cheese. It was so good, my tummy yearns for it as I write this.
Basic Pizza. This place is ‘basically’ a place where you build your own pizza. They carry more than just your typical toppings. We ordered a small white {pizza} pie with mozzarella, Parmesan and garlic topped with mashed potatoes and sausage! The small had 8 pieces and was more than enough for the both of our starting faces!

As a casual couple, Basic Bar was basic enough for us. Although, I think next time, we’ll be ordering to go.

Daddy and I managed yet another extraordinary Date Night! It’s always a blessing to be taking away from all the things in life that tend to make us forget how blessed we really are. As always, we enjoyed our conversation…but this time, it was more real. A lot more questions, a lot more fun, and a lot more of conjuring up stupid inside jokes, like, “how were your nuts this week?”

Date Nights definitely bring us closer together and help restore the damaged parts in our relationship. They say, it’s not always a bed of roses. I’ve learned that sometimes, we just have to enjoy the good times while they last, because you never know what might come next. Cheers to Date Night! Here are a few take-aways from out Ball Park + Basic experience! Enjoy!

Tips for the Ball Game

• Buy your tickets online and get $5 off
• If you want to sit in the park with your kids for a causal outing, get there early
• Check out the giveaways
• Bring a heavy jacket or even a blanket. It was freezing out there. We were literally sitting in fog!
• Don’t flip off the camera when it comes around they cameraman doesn’t take too kind to that stuff, plus it’s it’s rude!
• Don’t come with an appetite if you think you’re going to pay 2.50 for a hot dog. In this economy, prices are on the rise, and Petco Park is no exception – they gotta pay for that rent somehow

Tips for Basic

• Arrive early, to avoid waiting in line
• Look at the menu ahead of time, it can be overwhelming trying to decide what combination of toppings you want on your pie
• Don’t be afraid to try something new
• Snuggle up and sit next to your date if you really want to talk
• Bring your ID because they card